Call me crazy but I actually enjoy a good layover. Note that I said good. If planned and executed correctly, a layover can be an excellent opportunity to both recharge and explore a new city! I often choose the particular layover destination because I’ve never been or I’m curious to learn more. If I really enjoy my experience, I will return. If not so much, I can at least say I tried it and focus on new places during future stops.
When searching for long haul flights, any search engine (my personal favorite being Momondo) will yield many, many options. If there’s travel time to spare, I intentionally search for the connections with longer layover times, if in a cool city. What constitutes a not-so-great layover city? There are a few factors. For starters, it might just not be a very exciting location. It may require a visa should you leave the airport. It may be undergoing or susceptible to extreme weather conditions (or perhaps political or social unrest). It may be extremely expensive, and not worth justifying leaving the airport for a short amount of time. It’s really your own personal judgement call.
There are two types of “extended” layovers: those that allot you a few hours to explore a given city, and those that will require an overnight stay. I’ve intentionally experienced both. Here are a few of my personal examples:
Paris
Length: 18 hours
Expenses: 1 night Airbnb, train and taxi fare, two meals, no visa required.
I had to fly from Rome to Bangkok, and the route I selected had Parisian layover. Fun! My flight landed at dusk, and I rented a cute Airbnb with a view of the city skyline. I set off for a nice, relaxing solo dinner. Following dinner I walked to the Eiffel Tower and all the way from there along the Sienne River, to the Lourve to see it lit up at night. I’m pretty sure I had no social interaction during the short visit, and truly enjoyed a quiet evening. I slept like a rock, perfect for recharging before flying to Bangkok for New Years Eve, which was the next day. I loved this excuse to roam Paris as I hadn’t visited since I was a young teenager.
Will I return? Yes. Paris is always a good idea.
Ho Chi Minh City
Length: 11 hours
Expenses: taxi fare, 1 night hostel, 2 meals, ~$35 visa on arrival.
Ok, this was a stretch as far as time. Once I secured my visa and got out of the airport it was already 8pm and I knew I’d be heading back at 5:45am for an 8am flight. I checked into my hostel, found every last bit of energy I had, and set off into the night. I LOVED Ho Chi Minh City. The energy in the streets was electric and warm. The street food was to die for. The views from the A & B Tower rooftop were great. My biggest regret was not actually incorporating the city into my real travel route. I went on to return for a much longer visit one year later. Vietnam is now one of three favorite countries.
Will I return? For a third time? Absolutely.
Hong Kong
Length: 8 hours
Expenses: light rail ticket, admission to Lantau Island via cable car, one meal, no visa required.
This layover fell from lunch time to approximately 8pm which meant there was no overnight stay required. After researching the several surrounding islands, I decided to spend my layover visiting Lantau, as it’s next to the airport. Lantau is home to the 2nd largest Buddha in the world. In retrospect I totally would’ve had time to visit the main Hong Kong Island or Tsim Sha Tsui, but I was nervous about clearing security and missing my next international flight. I had plenty of time to spare which resulted in an airport dinner (expensive and never good). But my day was nice and cultural as I experienced Christmas with countless Chinese tourists! I was intrigued enough to return for 3 nights in Hong Kong the following winter.
Will I return? Yes. I want to see more.
Tokyo
Length: 19 hours
Expenses: train and very expensive taxi fare (because I got lost heading to airport), one night hostel, 2 meals, no visa required.
Another crazy layover to which I dedicated its own blog post. The experience involved a lot of train confusion, a sushi conveyor belt, some Japanese pagodas, and a futuristic capsule-style hostel.
Will I return? I’m not eager to but if the opportunity presents itself, sure.
Singapore
Length: 10 hours
Expenses: taxi fare and tickets to Gardens by the Bay, no visa required.
A few short and sweet hours were spent exploring the beautiful and magical Gardens by the Bay, bordering the famous Marina Bay Sands complex. I took pictures, ate good food, marveled at the flora, viewed a light show over the water, and played slots (and won $!) in a casino before heading to the airport and jumping on my next flight to Australia. Pro tip: I’m pretty sure that Changi airport provides a discounted tour or shuttle to Marina Bay Sands from the airport, if your layover is over a certain number of hours. I believe I missed the last tour because of the time of day I arrived, but this is certainly something to take into consideration.
Will I return? Not eager to, but if the opportunity presents itself, sure. The island-city-country is mysterious to me.
Panama City, Panama
Length: 15 hours
Expenses: taxi fare, one night hostel, two meals, no visa required.
I arrived in Panama City on a hot, sticky afternoon. I was traveling between Bogota and Quito and decided to see what Panama’s capital had to offer. I walked through the historic district of Casco Viejo, went to dinner and a casino in downtown Panama, and then found my way back to my hostel in time to have a some beers with its crazy backpackers before catching a few hours of sleep. The absolute best part of the stop was the next morning’s sunrise.
Will I return? I’d like to visit the Panama Canal and Bocas Del Toro, so probably.
So with that, I stand by my sentiment that layovers are a great opportunity to explore a new city. Sometimes inconvenient, sometimes more expensive than intended, but always worth the challenge. I soon have an overnight layover in Miami that I’m looking forward to. Have you experienced any epic layovers? I’d love to hear how you made your lemonade 😉